Retractable form structure



Dec. 18 1951 c. J. FORD RETRACTABLE FORM STRUCTURE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1Filed March 17, 1950 FIG. l

CHARLES J. FORD ATTOR N EY Dec. 18, 1951 c, J, FORD 2,579,423

RETRACTABLE FORM STRUCTURE Filed March 17, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 CHARLESJ. FORb ATTO R N EY angles in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Thecorner form l3 includes an outside compartment or cylinder l6, twoslightly deformed end compartments or cylinders l1 and I8 and a backcompartment or cylinder 19. These cylinders l5, I1, I 8, and I9 arecapable of individual fluid inflation and cooperate to provide, wheninflated ra substantially rigid-lfmemberrr when the corner form 1'3 isdeflated in the-manner i1- lustrated in Fig. 2, however, the rigid wallforms In between which it is disposed are rendered" ly flexible upon theremovzlo'ofxtheugusset.

members I4. This flexibility greatly facilitates the retraction andcomplete removal et the in-- side form structure I as 'a mnitfrom*tli'ebody of poured concrete 3 when it is set without in any waydisturbing the wall.

The several vertically extending cylinders :l6, l1, l8, and I9 areadvantageously completely "en compassed by an envelope Zll'which is heldin place against either circumferential" orlong-t tudin'alshifting-wititrespect?tokttiaseverali-cylins. der's as by meansoifaseriesroi rotolrMpedasten-t ings'zl, flj ni and ifl l are zdisposedin symmetrical relation in th construction" iii-tire manner indicated inRigel ot tfl'e drawingsz' The envelope 2!] is: overlapped atits gendstoio'rm a joint 2 adjacent the-=gusset members I M. The

envelope zlr also rlncorporates apor tionfiofthe pans 1 =l ontne weiizrormsm. 2 lwhen defiated fthe corner ifoim is material volume aSindiGated in FYigIJZ ol" inearawmgs: Thisdes dated corrn's'flrntionomhisoemeflonm permits the iconvergingfunds" on mtarpans l I: of"thewan? ro'rma'rm some primertracted toward maximumsenable the with-'-drawa'l of'th'e en tire inside iormstructure :l :as a unit rrom -thebody 'or thetpoured In setting-up the 'inside orm structure I and therigid outside formstnrcturefiithe-elements are. mounted in 'posi tiononiarpreeast -floor slab. 33 inthe manner s'hovm inl i oftlied'rawings;The inside fo'rmstructiire "i" nil-the rigid ""ol.=1tside form structure2 are thilsienabieii *to-be quickly assembled ior rthe *reception of abody-of poured concrete' i vvhichwill readily surroundstrategicallyplaced reinforcing -e1em'ents extending" through theti'ldor 's'lab 83 *and" projecting intd' tliespac'ebetween-the inside*Iorm structure 'I aniline rigidbutiiid-fdrmstructure 2 This reinforcinginate'riai'may-*take any suit able -form depending upcn"thenature*andidesign of the building constmction being built." no reinforcing isillustrated in the ''drawings since it forms no partof'the invention:

While certain representative embodiments and details have been *shown"for the "purpose cf il lustrating the invention"; "it w'il1"" beapparent so those skilled in that-'vari'ous changes and modificationsmay -bennade thiem=-Wfl7hout- (le parting from the spirit or scope ofthe invention.

I claim: 1. A retractible form structurevfor use in supporting pouredconcrete wall construction, sald' form structure comprising at least tworigid wall forms disposed in angular relation to each other andcorresponding generally in-their dimensions to the walls to be cast; laniinilataxbleaubberized fabric member connecting the rigid wa'll forms,

,,.said inflatable member being substantially coextensive with at leastthe vertical dimensions of the'wall fiormspand rigid stiffener elementsfor supporting the inflatable member in contact with the concrete anddetachably connecting the ends of "the wallfiormsn.

2. A retractibl'e form structure for use in sup-:portingrpoured-poncrete wall construction, said form structurecomprising at least two rigid wall forms disposed in angular relation toeach other to define a correspondinganglei in the finished walls 5 aplurality of gusset membersde'mountably attached to the -proximate''corrverging 'en'ds"-o! the wall'forms: an-inflatable memberofrubbcrized "fabric material*disposedxiadjacent to and extending transverselyofthe gussetmenibers-flei-1- tween wa-lTforms', and -anchoringmeans forsecurin the infiatabl'ememberto-the proximate ends of the wall fo'rmsz"3'. retrac'tilole'form-rstructnre i'or use in sup= porting 'pouredconcretewall- -construction; said form structure comprising" atle'asttwo' rigid wall forms disposedin angularrela'tionto each other todefine a corresponding'anglei in the finished walls"; a pluralityoijgussetmembers" .demoun'tably attached to the proximate converging "ends0f"th'e wall 'forms; an inflatable member'of rub berized fabrlc'materialdisposed adjacent to and extending transversely of the ;gusset"membersbetweemthe wall 'forms,"-said -inflatable member embodying a plurality fgenerally; cylindrically shaped compartmentsenclosed in a fabricenvelope fhaving preformed cmung: elements: at-

tached thereto and anchoring means on each of the-wall formsfor'engaging-the sealing elements of the inflatable member and iormlng awvater-v tight joint with theproximate ends-1o! thel'wal l mm-.- v v v4. A retractible'io'rm structure for use 'in sup-g porting pouredconcrete wall Lconstructiofl; said form structure"comprislngi a-pair ofrigid wall forms disposed 'substantially at right angle to each other.to define a-corne'r'between theconverging walls of the concrete"construction; a plurality of gusset -mem'bers demountably atta'ched-tothe proximate endsLoft-he walltorms; an inflatablevrubberized' fabricmember of vex-1 tically compartmente'd construction disposedtransversely of the several jgusset members and between the wall"formspand anchoring means. on the wall forms .i'o'r securing theinflatablememberctothe proximate ends-oi saidlwall'iorms.

5." A 'retractible form structure for use hinu'supe porting pouredconcrete"walliconstrnction, said form structure comprising, apair-olfirig'id .wall

forms disposed substantially' at .rightnngleszto each-other to define.aicornerbetween the.;con ver in walls" of theconcreteconstructionhgusset members demountably attached to :the proximate endsOf the wall .jorms and -disposed in spaced relation to each otherintermediate the top and bottomof saidwal] "forms ;fan inflatablrubberized fabric member =dispcsedisubstantially transversely of "thegusset "membersr-saidinflatable 'member embodying a plurality of'vertically'disposed, gen-- erally cylindrical-1y shaped compartments Ionclosed by a fabric envelope having sealing elements formed thereon;and anchoring means on the Wall forms for securing the sealing elementson the envelope of the inflatable member to the proximate ends of saidwall forms.

6. A retractible building construction form for use in supporting a bodyof poured concrete, said form comprising a pair of rigid wall formsarranged in contractible relation to the body oi. the poured concrete; arigid stiffener element joining the wall forms and being disposedsubstantially normal thereto, said stiffener element retaining said wallforms in expanded relation and in contact with the body of the concrete;an inflatable member of rubberized fabric construction disposed betweenthe wall forms and extending transversely of the stiffener element; andmeans embodying a fabric envelope secured to each of the wall forms,said fabric envelope encompassing the inflatable member and securing itin place between the wall forms and against the stifiener element.

CHARLES J. FORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

